Chapter 99: Apology
"We have never seen that Green at training," Wood had said, pacing anxiously back and forth in the mud. His boots squelched and caked with filth, but he paid no mind.
"He must be Ravenclaw's secret weapon. Just like you, Harry. You have to help the team get to the bottom of this. Only you can do it, Harry.
"If we go, we will tip our hand. Those Ravenclaws will never let us know the truth. They are the cleverest schemers in the school.
"Just like how we always split up from you as soon as we leave the pitch – they must be trying to keep the whole thing under wraps."
Wood's assignment weighed heavily on Harry's mind.
So he went to Ron.
"Green's notes – oh, wait, you mean that Ravenclaw, Green?" Ron asked.
In the Great Hall, Ron was scribbling frantically on a piece of parchment, scratching his head one moment, chewing his quill the next.
Harry knew exactly how he felt. It was the weekend again, and their homework had barely been touched.
If they did not finish, the other professors might let it slide, but Snape would chuck them straight out of the castle.
Great. Now Harry had one more thing to worry about.
"Yes, Ron. What do you think he is like?" Harry asked quietly.
"What else could he be like?" Ron snapped, throwing his quill down on the table with a clatter. He wore an expression that said, "I obviously know all about this."
"All right, all right. You know Percy, right? People like that. Always so pompous, acting like they are better than everyone, bossing people around…"
Ron nodded firmly to himself.
"Remember Platform Nine and Three‑Quarters? Mum told you to watch out for Peeves, and Percy said, 'It is the Bloody Baron, not Peeves, Mother. Honestly, you are so uninformed.'"
He mimicked Percy's voice. It was quite funny.
But Harry did not laugh. He said, a little uncertainly, "But Shawn Green is not like a prefect… is he?"
"Honestly, Harry, why would you think that?" Ron said, throwing his hands up.
"If he were any different, he would not hang around with Hermione."
Something seemed to strike him, and he nearly ground his teeth.
"Remember? 'So you think breaking school rules deserves a reward?' I reckon he is just like Hermione. A nightmare."
Ron's words left Harry quiet for a long time.
Then Neville, passing by, stammered out a few words.
"Shawn… he is not… like you say…"
"Oh, come off it, Neville. I bet they are just taking pity on you, like Hermione does—"
Ron stopped halfway through, realising what he had said. He knew the homework must have scrambled his brain to say something that cruel.
"S‑sorry, Neville. I did not mean that," he stuttered.
Only when Neville forgave him did Ron let out a long breath.
"Shawn… is different," Neville said. Speaking about Shawn seemed to make him less timid. He repeated it, more firmly this time.
"Shawn says… if you want to know someone, you should not listen to gossip. You should really get to know them, just like… me."
When he finished, Neville's face flushed scarlet. Those had been Shawn's words of comfort to him. He had never imagined he would be brave enough to say them aloud.
"Well said, Neville," Justin said, walking over. His praise turned Neville bright red all over.
"Defending your friends – that is one kind of bravery too," Justin said quietly, sincerely, beside him.
"You did brilliantly. Oh, and hello, Harry."
"Hello," Harry replied, a little uncertain. He and Ron had only just been badmouthing someone.
Justin ignored Ron. He knew that if someone had no choice in how they lived, no hope or sincerity, they would only grow narrower and meaner.
Like that red‑haired wizard.
At that moment,
Shawn left the Great Hall with a book in his hands. He had an hour before he had to head down to the dungeons. He planned to practise Finite for a while in the classroom.
He pulled out a slip of parchment – Professor Flitwick's timetable, cheerfully written so Shawn could track him down when he was free.
Though the professor kept exceeding his own schedule. Once, he had gotten drunk at the Three Broomsticks and forgotten the time entirely. That day, Shawn had simply practised spells on his own until Flitwick returned.
Passing the fireplace in the corner, Shawn saw Justin, Harry, Ron, and Neville clustered together, talking.
When Ron met his eyes, he looked alarmed. Harry did not look much better.
Shawn paid it no mind and walked straight out of the Hall.
"We are done for," Ron groaned, mouth hanging open. His hair was a mess. The homework‑addled fog in his brain cleared in an instant.
"What if Green heard us? Merlin, I do not know anything about him. What was I even saying?"
His expression turned utterly bleak. He could already picture the words scrawled at the top of Green's notes:
Ron and Spiders Not Allowed.
Justin, watching Ron clutch his hair, looked surprised.
This Gryffindor did not seem that bad. Just… a bit reckless.
Harry was not in much better shape. He instinctively counted Ron's words as their shared mistake.
The fire in the hearth crackled. Harry and Ron exchanged a glance. It looked like they had made a very difficult decision.
"Neville is right. We messed up again. Justin, can you tell us where to find Shawn?" Harry asked.
He looked at Justin. There was something like a lion hiding in his eyes.
"Shawn will be in the second‑floor corridor at six o'clock tonight. If you and… Mr Weasley wants to apologise, you can find him then," Justin said.
After Harry and Ron left, Justin could not help but laugh.
He imagined Shawn's face when two Gryffindors ambushed him out of nowhere to apologise.
…
Evening.
Stained glass flashed across Shawn's face as he passed. He glanced out. A giant carrying a lantern was walking outside the castle. The lantern in his hands was several times the size of Shawn's.
By a gleaming suit of armour, Harry and Ron waited anxiously.
Maybe Ron had been right after all. Maybe Shawn really was an arrogant person.
In that case, he would probably scoff and walk away.
Or maybe he would scold them like Hermione.
Harry thought, if he actually pulled out his wand, that would be it. After all, Harry had never beaten a troll or fought a werewolf barehanded.
The reality, however, was completely outside Harry's expectations.
"You are saying that you talked badly about me without my knowledge, and now you want to apologise?" Shawn said.